Whats the point??? GPS and the Tilt

[dtmcnamara]

What the hell is the point to have GPS on the tilt when it has the worst reception in the world? I have to have the phone either touching the window or on the dash to even get a signal in my car. And if I am in a wooded area, dont even think about getting a signal....is there any way to boost the signal? seems just like a waist of battery life when it dosent work half the time.

Damn i cannot wait until there is a manual on off switch for GPS, then my battery will last a little longer

[scottwilkins]

Um, what? Not sure how to say this nicely, but you need to read some on the GPS in the Tilt. GPS isn't on unless you are using a program that accesses it directly. And, other than being a tad slow to initialize, it's been rated as a rather good GPS device. At least I have zero problems with it. You might try using the QuickGPS program next time before you try the GPS out on anything. What program are you using for the GPS?

[roverman]

GPS isn't running unless you're running a program using it, so there goes the battery savings. Obviously you're not going to get the performance of a $500 GPS unit in a $300 phone with GPS. Agreed though, I couldn't even pick up a signal until I came to a stop today and held the phone out the window! I pretty much just plan on using it on the golf course...

[pkley]

You guys are nuts, it's working beautifully for me, even out in the mountains... It tracks perfectly via Live Search (although it was disconcerting to have it a bit off while driving over a bridge!:rolleyes: )

[umirza85]

I actually get pretty good signal, i keep the phone in the center console under the stereo and still get almost full reception. Question i had about quickGPS is when you update it do you have to keep it on to get the benefits of using it? or can you just update and then close it?

[RemE]

You can update it and you are good for 6 days. I too have to say that my Kaiser's GPS works really well, even gets a few birds indoors.

[jmacdonald801]

I'm using TomTom 6. I've never owned any kind of GPS but I can often get a signal inside my home if I'm close to a window. As I understand it it, this is actually quite a sensitive GPS.

Add me to the list of satisfied owners.

-James

[shogunmark]

My GPS works great also... something else you may want to realize is that with anything that utilizes a signal from a satellite then it needs to be line of sight... It is possible for the signal to penetrate some structures but its going to be best used when it has a clear view of the sky.

[eddythepeddy]

Am also very satisfied with the GPS-reception although my old E-ten Glofiish X500 was a little better at this (but worse on all other stuff... ;-)

Also be aware of the fact that GPS-units in cars with embedded sun-protection in the windscreen (not sure how you call this in English, it is basically this blue-ish thin layer of foil over the whole windscreen) get much worse reception than in cars without this. Usually French cars have this by default.

The QuickGPS (assisted GPS) tool usually does not improve things for me btw.

Edward

[surur]

I think its quite likely the people complaining has anti-frost layers on their screens.

Surur

[roverman]

I think its quite likely the people complaining has anti-frost layers on their screens.

Surur

Didn't think about it before, but my Land Rover has the heated windshield with wires running throughout. Probably doesn't help. I'm thoroughly satisfied with it overall though.

[RemE]

Many cars now have a vaporized metal layer in the glass for whole window defrosting, it makes a great shield for blocking satellite signals...

[kcchen]

Can't complain about the GPS, its not as good as a dedicated device (Garmin Nuvi). But nice to have with Live Search if traveling without the nuvi.

Performance is not bad in the car. It helps if you're stationary to acquire sats. Anyone know if there is an app to check the sat tracking?

[RemE]

Actually I find it better than a Nuvi (assuming you load a good Nav app on the phone) because you get nav and things like Live Search and Google Maps which together, are pretty awesome.

You can search for GPS viewers but here's one...

[Deathace]

I don't have a problem with using any GPS app TT, Copilot, iGo etc and the reception on my unit seems to be peachy, i get sats in my house as well as in cars with front demisters and sun shielding foil (i must just be lucky).

Not had it cut out on me except in tunnels that are too long to keep the signal (although through the Alps I kept full signal for 17 km in a tunnel through a mountain thanks to their internal antenna).

Very happy with the GPS built in its worth the money for the phone on its own for me.

Russ

[Doc Memory]

I have been using it in my car via Google Maps "Track Location" command from the menu and it has worked like a charm for me. I agree with initiallizing it while stopped, it takes about 30 sec - 1 min to initialize then works great. My car is old and doesn't have any new advances that may interfere.
I was showing it to a friend indoors after using the QuickGPS program (Start -> Programs -> Tools -> QuickGPS) and he suggested that it uses a combination of cell towers vs it's GPS info it downloaded. Don't know if you can use this info to help you out but it may explain a bit.

[jomo25]

The GPS works great on the Kaiser. That you don't have to mess with it, i.e. it turns itself on and off completely on its own only when needed is awesome. If you think its onl all the time, you are either running a GPS prog constantly or just confused.

It picks up a signal very very well. The onyl thing I will say is it is n't the most accurate. I mean it isn't quite as accurate as a true Sirf III chipset unit. So, it isn't the best for using for golf (i.e. it can still be a few yards off, enough to matter). But for driving, directions, routing, etc. it works nearly perfectly.

[kcchen]

Actually I find it better than a Nuvi (assuming you load a good Nav app on the phone) because you get nav and things like Live Search and Google Maps which together, are pretty awesome.

You can search for GPS viewers but here's one...

Thanks for the cab I'll give it a try. I like to keep things lean on the phone... still trying to make it a phone first, before anything else... So I try to keep apps to a minimum.

In a pinch, MS Live is great! I do prefer the larger screen on my Nuvi for driving... and it seems to do a better job tracking when I'm speeding down the highway.

[arimus]

I am surprised how well it works, I have a Garmin 2610 (yes its old, about 4to 5 years old) I put the Kaiser with TomTom 6 side by side on the car dash and they both perform great, the garmin a bit faster in aquaring Sat signal, but as I drive acuracy and speed its about the same. I still prefer the Garmin due to larger screen but its a dedicated GPS unit the kaiser is a Phone with GPS, but over all I think the GPS on the kaiser is great.

My $0.02 cents (Canadian)

[manzur_mahmood]

Actually I have a Dell bluetooth GPS receiver and I can confirm that the Tilt GPS works way better than Dell. It takes only few seconds to lock onto the satellites. I am more than satisfied.

[JBHorne]

My GPS works perfectly. I have tested in everywhere, including indoors at my house and in my 20 story office building. It works great! The only place it fails is in the stairwell and elevator, but those are at the very center of the building.

...And yes I know GPS is not designed to work indoors, but it does quite well on the Tilt.

[insanenyc]

I Just Sold My 8525 And I Was Going To Get The Tilt How Do U Get The Tom Tom 6 To Work With It As I Tried And It Didnt Work

[Shen]

If you insert a nail under the soft rubber on the back of the phone with 'GPS' on it an pull it up a bit, you can see the plug for an external GPS antenna. May solve your problems. But you sound like you want it to work smoothly without plugging anything in, in which case I can't help you.

[RemE]

I Just Sold My 8525 And I Was Going To Get The Tilt How Do U Get The Tom Tom 6 To Work With It As I Tried And It Didnt Work

You need to set the com port to 4 and baud 4800 (I use 34800 as well with no problems). I use iGuidance instead of tomTom, but they both work fine, just search around the forum for more pointers on TomTom. The TomTom I have came with my kaiser.

[polyrhythmic]

If you insert a nail under the soft rubber on the back of the phone with 'GPS' on it an pull it up a bit, you can see the plug for an external GPS antenna. May solve your problems. But you sound like you want it to work smoothly without plugging anything in, in which case I can't help you.

Wicked, I had no idea and I've been playing with this Tilt for weeks. Is that in the wiki somewhere??

Thanks,

Charles

P.S. My GPS reception works excellently, I'm very pleased